Multi-directional deposition in array fabrication

• US 7,141,368 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Shchegrova, Svetlana V., Caren, Michael P., Webb, Peter G., Fisher, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FORMAN, BETTY J
• Application Number:
  US10/066,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20030143756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/174, 435/283.1, 435/287.2, 422/68.1, 422/100
• US Class Current: 435/6.19
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00497 Features relating to the solid phase supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0061 The surface being organic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00662 Two-dimensional arrays within two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00675 In-situ synthesis on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00677 Ex-situ synthesis followed by deposition on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00689 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00693 Means for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00731 Saccharides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0241 Drop counters; Drop formers making arrays for combinatorial libraries B01J19/0046; automation of dispensing for analysis G01N35/10
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/10 : Libraries containing peptides or polypeptides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/12 : Libraries containing saccharides or polysaccharides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 50/14 : Solid phase synthesis, i.e. wherein one or more library building blocks are bound to a solid support during library creation; Particular methods of cleavage from the solid support
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 : Ink-jet like dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/109 : with two horizontal degrees of freedom

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program products for fabricating multiple chemical arrays on a substrate, each array having multiple rows of feature locations with arrays of different sets being arranged in a sideways orientation with respect to the rows. The method includes dispensing drops from a drop dispensing head onto the substrate while maintaining a gap between the head and substrate and moving them relative to one another along a path so as to fabricate the arrays. The path for the relative moving includes moving the head in a direction along the rows of a first array set then moving the head in an opposite direction along the rows of a second array set. This pattern is repeated with the second array set of an earlier cycle being the first array set of a later cycle.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating multiple chemical arrays on a substrate, wherein:

each array of the multiple chemical array has multiple rows of features, wherein the features are separated from each other by inter-feature areas;

the multiple chemical arrays are separated from each other by inter-array areas, wherein the inter-array areas are of greater width than the inter-feature areas; and

the multiple chemical arrays are arranged in sets where the arrays of different sets are arranged in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the rows;

the method comprising dispensing drops onto the substrate from a drop dispensing head positioned such that a gap is maintained between the head arid the substrate while moving the head and substrate relative to one another along a bi-directional path so as to fabricate the arrays, wherein the bi-directional path for the relative moving comprises;

(a) moving the head in a direction along the rows of a first array set;

(b) then moving the head in an opposite direction along the rows of a second array set without intervening movement of the head in the opposite direction over all of the first array set; and

(c) repeating (b), with the second array set of an earlier cycle being the first array set of a later cycle;

wherein between movements in the opposite directions, the dispensing head is displaced in a sideways orientation between one array set and the next and a majority of the rows in arrays within a set are dispensed while the head is moving in a same direction along the rows.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the chemical arrays are biopolymer arrays.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second array sets are adjacent to one another.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the repeating in (c) is with a same two array sets.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein (b) is repeated multiple times each time with a new second array set.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein each new second array set is adjacent the first array set of the same cycle.

7. A method according to claim 5 additionally comprising then repeating the relative moving path of the head and substrate while dispensing drops.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the head is re-loaded with fluid between repetitions of the path.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein different repetitions of movement of the head on the path during drop dispensing are parallel and offset in the sideways orientation from one another.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rows of features in the arrays are straight lines.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the arrays have the same array layout.

12. A method according to claim 1 additionally comprising separating the substrate into units each of which carries at least one of the arrays.

13. A method according to claim 1 additionally comprising adding array identifiers to the substrate each in proximity with a corresponding array.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the head has multiple drop dispensers.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the drop dispensers are pulse jets.

16. A method of fabricating multiple chemical arrays on a substrate, wherein:

each array of the multiple chemical array has multiple rows of features, wherein the features are separated from each other by inter-feature areas;

the multiple chemical arrays are separated from each other by inter-array areas, wherein the inter-array areas are of greeter width than the inter-feature areas; and

the multiple chemical arrays are arranged in sets where the arrays of different sets are arranged in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the rows;

the method comprising dispensing drops onto the substrate from a drop dispensing head positioned such that a gap is maintained between the head and the substrate while moving the head and substrate relative to one another along a bi-directional path so as to fabricate the arrays, wherein the bi-directional path for the relative moving comprises;

(a) moving the head in a direction along the rows of a first array set;

(b) then moving the head in an opposite direction along the rows of a second array set without intervening movement of the head in the opposite direction over all of the first array set; and

(c) repeating (b), with the second array set of an earlier cycle being the first array set of a later cycle; and

wherein 90% of the rows in arrays within a set are dispensed while the head is moving in a same direction along the rows.

17. A method of fabricating multiple chemical arrays on a substrate, wherein:

each array of the multiple chemical array has multiple rows of features, wherein the features are separated from each other by inter-feature areas;

the multiple chemical arrays are separated from each other by inter-array areas, wherein the inter-array areas are of greater width than the Inter-feature areas; and

the multiple chemical arrays are arranged in sets where the arrays of different sets are arranged in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the rows;

the method comprising dispensing drops onto the substrate from a drop dispensing head positioned such that a gap is maintained between the head and the substrate while moving the head and substrate relative to one another along a bi-directional path so as to fabricate the arrays, wherein the bi-directional path for the relative moving comprises;

(a) moving the head in a direction along the rows of a first array set;

(b) then moving the head in an opposite direction along the rows of a second array set without intervening movement of the head in the opposite direction over all of the first array set; and

(c) repeating (b), with the second array set of an earlier cycle being the first array set of a later cycle; and

wherein at least 80% of the rows in arrays within a set are dispensed while the head is moving in a same direction along the rows.

18. A method of producing a structure comprising a substrate having multiple chemical arrays present on a surface thereof, wherein (i) each chemical array has multiple features arranged In rows and separated from each other by inter-feature areas;

(ii) the multiple chemical arrays are separated from each other by inter-array areas, wherein the Inter-array areas are of greater width than the inter-feature areas; and

(iii) the multiple chemical arrays are arranged in sets where the arrays of different sets are arranged in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the rows of features;

the method comprising;

(a) moving a drop dispensing head relative to the substrate along the rows of a first set of chemical arrays while dispensing drops onto the substrate;

(b) moving the drop dispensing head relative to the substrate in an opposite direction of step (a) along the rows of a second array set while dispensing drops onto the substrate without an intervening movement of the dispensing head across the substrate; and

(c) repeating (b), with the second array set of an earlier cycle being the first array set of a later cycle;

wherein between movements in the opposite directions, the dispensing head is displaced in a sideways orientation between one array set and the next and a majority of the rows in arrays within a set are dispensed while the head is moving in a same direction along the rows; and

wherein a structure comprising a substrate having multiple chemical arrays is produced.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the chemical arrays are biopolymer arrays.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the head has multiple drop dispensers.